About a thousand enthusiastic hopefuls stood on line intensely anticipating the chance to pitch their idea for a shot at the $10,000 jackpot during a segment of the MoneyFest Expo called “PitchFest.” Each contestant was given one minute to wow a panel of six venture capitalists with their most promising idea. Every pitch was great, but after deliberating over the mass of responses, all six judges including Venture Capitalist, Warren Haber; President of Mag Rack, Joe Covey; Co-Founder of Zelkova Ventures, Jay Levy; Venture Capitalist, Max Chee; CEO of Enable Holdings, Jeff Hoffman and Founder of The Learning Annex and MoneyFest Expo, Bill Zanker, chose Johnson for Shepreneur Magazine.

The new publication focuses on the empowerment of African American women entrepreneurs, providing content on such topics as leadership, development and balance.

When asked about her brainchild, Shepreneur Magazine, winner of the $10,000 Pitchfest, Johnson shared with BSN, “This is not just another women’s magazine. We don’t highlight fashion, beauty or any of that. This is the only magazine out there that is geared toward African American women in business.” Johnson intends to use the money to open a free entrepreneur training program for girls grades 4-12 beginning this summer. Shepreneur Magazine is currently 3,000 subscribers strong. Johnson’s PitchFest winnings could be just the boost she needed to reach her goal of 100,000 subscribers by year’s end.

The entire MoneyFest was a tremendous success as 10,000 enthusiastic business owners, entrepreneurs and seekers of money making opportunities came out to meet Donald Trump whose book, “Think Like A Champion,” is available now. Trump’s presentation, heavily speckled with money making advice, stock tips and just good old fashioned life experience gems, garnered roars of laughter and applause from beginning to end. Suze Orman shared how to "Create Your Financial Action Plan for 2009," Lisa Price of Carol’s Daughter gave a women only workshop on “Women and Business: Today’s Hottest Opportunities,” and thousands enjoyed a plethora of break-out sessions including “How To Make Money Blogging,” “How To Start A T-Shirt Line,” “How To Skyrocket Your Sales and Income,” “How To Get Hired Immediately: Killer Resumes & Interviewing Techniques,” “Trading Stocks,” “How To Start A Fashion Line,” “How To Get Your Products On HSN,” “How To Get Paid To Shop,” and much more. iPods, laptops and cash prizes were raffled off throughout the day as opportunity seekers and givers conducted business and negotiated deals.

In this gloom and doom era where not a day goes by without hearing about a recession and a “failed” economy, MoneyFest proved once again that you can’t believe everything you read. It seems a combination of hard work, creativity and just a stroke of luck can morph dreams into reality. Ecstatic Kristy Johnson, the proof, and The Donald sums it up quite nicely in conclusion, “The harder you work, the luckier you get.”